Dear Mr. President.
As Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the authorizing committee with primary jurisdiction over the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development, we are writing to urge you to appoint permanent Inspectors General as soon as possible to oversee these agencies’ affairs. Qualified, independent Inspectors General play an indispensible role in maintaining the efficacy of those agencies, by minimizing waste, fraud, and abuse.
The State Department has not had a permanent Inspector General for more than five years, since Jan. 16, 2008. That gap of more than 1,840 days is the longest vacancy of any of the 73 Inspector General positions across the federal government. While this would be problematic under any circumstances, the repeated criticisms of the independence and effectiveness of that office by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) heighten the need for an appointment. Similarly, the Agency for International Development’s Inspector General has remained vacant since Oct. 15, 2011. Both of these Inspector General offices monitor key elements of the U.S. Government’s national security budget, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan, and these leadership vacancies raise questions as to whether billions of dollars in programs are being properly overseen.
All of us have a duty to American taxpayers to ensure that their hard-earned dollars are spent properly, and Inspectors General are an integral part of that commitment. For this reason, we respectfully request that you submit nominations for these critical positions without delay.
Sincerely,
EDWARD R. ROYCE
Chairman
ELIOT L. ENGEL
Ranking Member.
